Ornament



Jan. 12, 1937. G. A. GREENE 2,067,527

ORNAMENT Filed Sept. 7, 1954 10 FIG:v 14 FIG. 1 H

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2/@ INVENTOR. GEO/P65 f7. G/PEENE zi zz B Fl G. 6 F! G. 5 V I ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 12, 1937 UNTED ATENT QFFEQE 5 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in ornaments and has particular relation to an ornament to be suspended as from a string or the branch of a tree or the like.

An object of the invention is to provide an ornament which may be manufactured at low cost and which may be made up in a wide variety of designs, sizes and colors.

Another object is to provide an ornament which may be easily disassembled into its elements for compact storage and/or shipping.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein satisfactory embodiments of the invention are shown. However, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details disclosed but includes all such variations and modifications as fall within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view showing an ornament in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of. one of the devices of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an elevational View of the upper element of one of the devices of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of the lower element of said device;

Figs. 5 and 6 are views corresponding with Figs. 3 and 4, but showing a slightly modified construction;

Fig. '7 is an elevational view showing a slightly modified arrangement including three elements;

Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view of the device of Fig. 7;

Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are elevational Views of the separated elements going to make up the device of Fig. 7;

Fig. 12 is a bottom plan view showing a further slight modification;

Fig. 13 is a perspective view showing another modification Fig. 14 is a side elevational view of the upper element .of the device of Fig. 13; and

Fig. 15 is a side elevational view of the lower element of Fig. 13.

Referring in detail to the drawing, and at first particularly to Fig. 1, an ornament is shown comprising three similar devices IU, I I and I2 of which the device I2 is suspended from the device II by a hook 13 while the device II is suspended from the device 10 bya similar hook l4. A

7 somewhat longer hook l5 may be provided for suspending the device ill from any suitable support 16, as, for example, the limb of a tree or the like. The devices l0, II and I2 as here shown are of the same design and vary only as to size. The diiferent devices may be of difierent colors and of diiferent designs and it is not necessary that the largest device be the uppermost since the devices may be assembled in the desired relative positions.

Since the devices H), H and I2 are ofv the same construction the corresponding elements in the various devices will be given the same reference character. Figs. 3 and 4 are elevational views of the two elements which together form a pair and serve to make up one of the assembled devices of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows the upper element I! of a device while Fig. 4 shows the lower element i8 of a complete device. Each of the elements as here disclosed is fiat and is blanked from sheet metal of suitable gauge or the elements may be L sawed from wood or cut from cardboard or the like. As shown the element I! when viewed in side elevation is in the shape of a bell and at its upper edge has an extension l9 through which is a hole or opening 20 for the passage of. a hook or other supporting means. A slot 2| of a width substantially equal to the thickness of the material of the element is opens through the lower edge of the element I! midway the ends thereof.

The element l8 which comprises the lower element of a complete device is at its lower edge, midway the ends of said edge, provided with an extension 22 having a hole 23 therethrough for the reception of a hook or any other suitable means which may be used for suspending a device below the element I 8. This element I8 is also substantially in the shape of a bell when viewed in side elevation as in Fig. 4 and the element is provided with a slot 24 opening through the upper edge thereof midway the ends of said edge. This slot 24 is of. the width substantially equal to the thickness of the element ll.

In assembling the elements I! and I8 to form a complete device similar to the devices H], H or l2 the open end of the slot 24 of the element [8 is positioned to register with the open end of the slot 2| of the element I! with the elements I! and I8 in right angular relationship. Thereafter, it is but necessary to push the elements I! and I8 toward one another to dispose the edges of the slot 24 at opposite sides of the upper portion of the element I! and to dispose the edges of the slot 2i at opposite sides of the lower portion of the element l8 as shown in Fig. 1. The depth of the respective slots is such that the lower edges of the elements i! and i8 are brought about flush with one another but with the extension 22 of the element 88 depending below the assembly. The widths of the slot with respect to the thicknesses of the elements is such that the edges of the slot of one element engages the other element so that the elements are interlocked and are located at right angles to one another. When the elements are assembled each element extends at each side of the other element.

While the hooks 03, M and are shown as being substantially S-shaped it is not essential that this particular construction of connecting or suspending means be employed. Attention is directed to the fact that the openings 28 and 23 in the extensions i8 and 2B of the respective elements are of considerably greater diameter than the diameter of the wire forming the connecting hooks. This or a suitable equivalent arrangement is desirable since when the devices are assembled in a chain as shown in Fig. 1 they will be free to vibrate or oscillate relatively. The various surfaces of the elements are light refiecting and it will, therefore, be understood that when the chain of devices is suspended any vibration transmitted to the ornament will cause the various devices of the chain to tremble or vibrate independently of one another and reflect light in different directions.

Figs. 5 and 6 correspond with Figs. 3 and 4 respectively with the exception that the slot 21a of the element Na and the slot 24a of the element l8a is slightly tapered. This arrangement maybe used in certain instances as, for example, if the elements are made up of wood and a wedging eiTect is required. It will be understood that the elements Ha and lSa have bright reflecting surfaces and that they will be assembled to form a device as described when considering Figs. 3 and 4 and that a plurality of such devices may be assembled into a chain as suggested in Fig. 1.

Figs. '7 through 11 show a modified construction comprising a device 25 made up of three similar elements including an upper element 25, an intermediate element 27 and a lower element 28. The three elements are of similar outline and as here shown are, in side elevation, of bell shape. The element 26 at its upper end has an extension 29 provided with an opening 30 for the passage of a suspending means as for example the hook l5. A slot 3| enters the element 29 from the lower edge thereof and extends for approximately two thirds of the length of the element and opens through the lower edge of the element about mid-way of said edge.

The element 21 has a slot 32 opening through its upper end and extending for substantially one-third of the length of the element and a similar slot 33 enters the element 21 from the lower edge thereof. On the lower edge of the element 28 is an extension 34 having an opening 35 therethrough as for the passage of a hook M and this element 28 has a slot 36 opening through the upper edge thereof and extending for approximately two-thirds of the length of the element. When assembling the elements 26, 21 and 28 to form the device 25 the open end of the slot 3| of element 25 is aligned with the open end of the slot 32 of the element 2'! and the elements are then pushed together and interlocked by the slots.

Next, the element 23 is applied and this is accomplished by having said element straddle the assembled elements 25 and 21. When the slot 36 of element 28 is so positioned that the element 28 is straddling the elements 26 and 21 the parts are simply pushed together and some slight adjustment may be necessary to bring the elements into equally spaced relationship. Of course, if desired, the elements 2? and 28 may first be assembled and then the element 26 added by having it straddle the elements 2? and 28.

Fig. 12 is a View similar to Fig. 8 but showing a modified construction of device generally designated 3'3 and including elements 38 and 39 which elements have their outer longitudinal edge portions curved or turned as at 43. If desired, the elements 33 and 39 may have their edges curved to a greater degree than that shown or the edge portions of the elements may be curved or bent at such angle and be of such dimension that the free edge of one element is in close relationship to another element so that in side elevation the device will appear somewhat as a cylindrical or tubular container. The elements 33 and 39 are interlocked by means of slots not shown, the said slots extending through the lower and upper edges of the respective elements as in the case of the slots 2i and 2d of the elements i1 and I8 of Figs. 1 through 4.

Figs. 13 through 15 illustrate another slight modification and in these figures the device generally designated 4i includes an upper element 42 and a lower element 43 and the upper element has an opening 44 for the passage of a hook I5 or other suspending means and opening through its lower end or edge this element has a slot 45 which extends approximately one-quarter way through the element. Element d3 has an opening 4'6 at its lower end for the passage of hook it or other suspending means and this element has a slot 4! through its upper end or edge and extending for approximately one-fourth the length of the element.

To assemble the elements 42 and 13 into the device 4! it is but necessary to register the open end of the slot 65 with the open end of the slot 47 and then push the elements toward one another. This brings the elements into interlocking relation but since the slots extend each only one-quarter Way through the elements it will be noted that when the elements are assembled as in Fig. 13 the upper element extends above the upper end of the lower element and the latter extends below the lower end of the upper element. Due to this arrangement the complete device 4| is of greater length of a single element of said device.

It is the present plan that the required number of elements and hooks for the making up of an ornament be placed loose in an envelope and sold. The envelope may be transparent in order that the colors and shapes of the elements will be visible or information as to the colors and shapes may be printed on the envelope. From this it will be understood that the envelope may contain two elements and one hook or four elements and two hooks, etc., if devices including two elements are to be made up or the envelope may contain three elements and one hook or six elements and two hooks if a device or devices as in Fig. 7 is or are to be made up. If devices having more than three elements are to be made up then, of course, the necessary elements will be included in the envelope. It will be apparent that the devices may include the desired number of elements and that the required or desired number of devices may be assembled and connected to form a chain as shown in Fig. 1. Attention is also directed to the fact that the dis-assembled ornament occupies a minimum of space and may be included in a small envelope for packing, shipping or storage.

Preferably, the corners of the various elements are rounded off as shown in Figs. 1 through 11, although this is not necessary as will be apparent from Figs. 13 through 15. As before suggested the elements may be made up in any desired colors and the different elements may be differently colored on their different sides and the elements of a single device may be of different colors. Further, it will be apparent that the devices may be made up in various sizes and may be strung together in any desired order and number to form a chain or pendant. Also, the elements which go to make up the various devices may be made to represent various figures. For example, for Christmas tree ornaments, the elements may represent bells, balls, etc., while for Halloween they may represent witches, pumpkins, etc., and for Easter ornaments they may represent eggs, baby chickens or the like.

While the elements may be made of any suitable material as metal, wood, cardboard, or the like, they preferably have light reflecting surfaces and these surfaces may be plated, polished or painted or the like. Further, it is not necessary that the elements be solid or imperforate since they may have portions lanced therefrom to represent the eyes, nose and mouth as of the moon or they may have portions lanced therefrom to represent the windows of a house or the like. When the elements are assembled to form a device each element extends at each side of the other element whereby each device includes four, six or other number of projecting portions arranged in equally spaced relation and each having two light reflecting surfaces. 'From this it will be clear that each device includes at least a pair of elements so that each device will have eight reflecting surfaces.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

1. In an ornament, a plurality of devices each including a plurality of elements arranged with portions of one in angular relation to portions of another, each of said devices having a perforation in its upper and its lower end, single one piece links connecting said devices by passing through the lower perforation in one device and the upper perforation in the next lower-most device, said links passing freely through the perforations of the devices whereby the latter may oscillate relatively, said devices having their upper and lower perforations angularly related, and said links each occupying but a single plane whereby successive devices are angularly related.

2. In an ornamental pendant, a plurality of devices each including a plurality of elements arranged with portions of one in angular relation to portions of another, each of said devices having a perforation in its upper and its lower end, single one piece links connecting said devices by passing through the lower perforation in one device and the upper perforation in the next lower-most device, said links passing freely through the perforations of the devices whereby the latter may f oscillate relatively, and said perforations and links so related that successive devices of the pendant are angularly related.

3. In an ornamental pendant, a plurality of devices each including angularly related winglike portions and each having a perforation in its upper and its lower end, links connecting said devices by passing through the lower perforation in one device and the upper perforation in the next lower-most device, and said perforations and links so related that successive devices of the pendant are in intersecting planes.

4. In an ornament, a plurality of devices each including a plurality of elements arranged with portions of one in angular relation to portions of another, each of said devices having a perforation in its upper and its lower end, single one piece substantially S-shaped links connecting said devices by having the upper hook portion of a link pass through the perforation at the lower end of one device and having the lower hook portion of said link pass through the perforation at the upper end of the next lower-most device, said links having their hook portions relatively large and passing freely through the respective perforations of the devices whereby the latter may oscillate relatively, said devices having their upper and lower perforations angularly related, and said links having their hook portions in the same plane whereby successive devices are angularly related.

5. In an ornament, an element comprising a flat body portion having a slot entering it from its upper edge and extending for substantially half-Way its length, said element otherwise imperforate in its body portion, a perforated lug depending from the lower edge of the element in the plane of the body thereof, a second element of the configuration of said first element and comprising a fiat body portion having a slot entering it from its lower edge and extending for substantially half-way its length, said second element otherwise imperforate in its body portion, a perforated lug extending upwardly from the upper edge of the second element in the plane of the body thereof, said slots of each element substantially equal to the thickness of the material of the body portion of the other element, and said elements assembled on one another in intersecting planes with a portion of each of the elements in the slot of the other element.

GEORGE A. GREENE. 

